Molded shoulder pad



y 1950 J. L. KLEINROCK 2,509,645

MOLDED SHOULDER PAD Filed Sept. 7, 1946 J4me J. fis/Neocz,

IN V EN TOR.

ATrOQ/VEY.

Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOLDED SHOULDER PADJack L. Kleinrock, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application September I, 1946, Serial No. 695,487

Claims. (01. 2-268) This invention relates to improvements in shoulderpads and is particularly directed to a unitary, moulded, washable,seamless, nonabsorptive, resilient and compliant shoulder pad.

It is recognized that shoulder pads have been used in various garmentsfor many years. Originally, shoulder pads were composed of layers offelt, stitched together and permanently attached to shoulder areas ofmens coats, etc. In more recent years, relatively light weight shoulderpads, made of wedding and covered with cambric or other cloth, have beenextensively used in women's garments, including coats, gowns, suits andeven blouses. These shoulder pads have certain disadvantages. Forexample, in many instances, they are not pre-formed and do not have aninherent contour which conforms to the contours of the human shoulder,but instead, require to be bent to the shoulder by the garment.Moreover, the prior shoulder pads cannot be readily subjected to washingor dry cleaning, since the wadding has a tendency to mat and becomeagglomerated into undesirable lumps. In addition, these prior pads had atendency to chafe and irritate the skin by reason of numerous lines ofstitching and raw edges of material exposed on the surface of the pads.A still further disadvantage lay in the absorptive character of the padsso that after being worn for an appreciable length of time they becomeunsanitary and somewhat offensive.

The present invention relates to a pre-formed or moulded shoulder padpreferably made of sponge like rubber composition, provided with anintegral substantially imperforate and continuous surface film of rubbercom-position. Shoulder pads of this invention are washable,non-absorptive, retain their desired contours and thickness, do not mat,or become stiff, and may be readily attached to and detached from thegarments.

It.is an object, therefore, of this invention, to disclose and providean improved type of shoulder pad which is free from the disadvantages 01prior pads.

It is a iurther object of the invention to disclose and provide apre-formed or moulded shoulder pad, composed of a sppnge like rubbercomposition, having an integral substantially imperforate and continuoussurface film.

A still further object of the invention is to disclose and provide amoulded shoulder pad provided with spaced ports formed in the thin edgeportions of the pad whereby the object may be readily attached togarments,

These, and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from. the following detailed description. In the course of suchdescription, reference will be had to the appended drawings in which-Fig. l is a perspective view of a shoulder pad made in accordance withthis invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a section through a portion of a shoulder pad made in asomewhat modified manner.

Fig. 4 is a section through an attachment means carried by a shoulderpad of a still further modification.

As previously stated, the preferred shoulder pad is made of a spongelike porous, resilient, yieldable, rubber-like composition. Sponge-likerubber compositions of this general type have been previously made underthe name Air- Foam. The particular moulded object contemplated by thepresent invention is not cut from a block of such sponge-like rubber,but instead is moulded to a shape capable of readily conforming to thecontours of a shoulder.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shoulder pad generally indicated atIll is provided with a convex upper surface II and a concave lowersurface I2. These concave and convex surfaces meet along a thin edgeindicated at H. In longitudinal section, the shoulder pad "I is wedgeshaped as best shown in Fig. 2, presenting a relatively fiat, wide outerend surface l4.

During the moulding operation, the outer surfaces of the shoulder padbecome provided with an integral continuous unbroken non-absorptive andsubstantially imperforate skin film of rubber composition, whereas theinterior I5 is of a porous and spongy character, many 01' the poresbeing inter-communicating.

The relatively thin material areas of the shoulder pad adjacent thecurved edge l3 are preferably provided with means for attaching shoulderpads to a garment. Various means may be employed. In Figs. 1 and 2,these relatively thin marginal areas are provided with a plurality ofspaced ports such as l6, l1 and I 8. Annular raised rims may be providedin the upper and lower surfaces around such ports for the purpose ofstrengthening the material and preventing thread or other fasteningmeans from cuttin into the edge areas of the pad and breaking throughthe impervious continuous surface film.

As shown in Fig. 3 the entire shoulder pad may be reinforced along thethin marginal edge by means of a flexible wire 20. the ports, such as l1being located inwardly from the wire 26. The wire as is embedded andentirely covered by the rubber composition and strengthens the edge ofthe material, preventing the edges of the shoulder pad from tearing whenthe pad is repeatedly attached to and removed from a gent. The wire atis imbedded in the shoulder pad, the moul operation. Preferably the wireso is made of a non-corrosive metal or impregnated ilbre.

Fig. 4 illustrates a still further modification wherein the fasteningmeans comprise a metallic, preferably enamelled glove snap fastenercrimped into the relatively thin edge areas of the pad. The garment mayhave the mating portion of the fastener permanently attached thereto.

In the illustrated forms of the invention only three attachment portsare shown, one of such ports being located substantially at the apex ofthe shoulder, while the other two are located on the front and rearoutward edges of the pad. It is to be understood, however, that thelocation and number of fastening means carried by the pad may bematerially changed.

It is also to be understood that the pads may be made in various colors,since the rubber compositions may be easily pigmented so that fleshtints or color corresponding to the color of the garment may beobtained.

It is to be understood that the term concave and convex is general andcertain areas of the inner and outer surfaces may be substantiallyplane. Moreover, the apex of the shoulder pad may not necessarily bemidway of the thin marginal edge l3, but instead the rear portion of ashoulder pad such as, for example, that hearing the port l6 may belonger (from the apex of the pad) than the forward or front portion ofthe pad.

All changes and modifications coming within the scope of the pendingclaims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A unitary, washable, removable, seamless, non-absorptive, resilientand compliant shoulder pad comprising: a unitary moulded objectsubstantially triangular in plan and wedge-shaped in longitudinalsection, said object having two thin curved marginal edge portionsnormally meeting at the apex of a shoulder of a wearer, and a thick,substantially flat base face, said object having a preformed upperconvex surface and a lower concave surface, said surfaces meeting alongsaid thin marginal edge portions; and ports iormed in I the thinmarginal edge portions, said obiect being unitary and composed of asponge-like rubber composition having an integral, substantiallyimperforate and continuous film over the entire surface of said object.

2. A shoulder pad of the character stated in claim 1 including annularraised rims integral with the body of said object around each of saidports.

3. A shoulder pad of the character stated in cl 1 including fasteningmeans carried in each of said ports.

4. A unitary, washable, removable, seamless, non-absorptive, resilientand compliant shoulder pad comprising: a unitary moulded objectsubstantially triangular in plan and wedge-shaped in longitudinalsection, said object having two thin curved marginal edge portionsnormally meeting at the apex of a shoulder of a wearer, and a thick,substantially fiat base face, said object having a preformed upperconvex surface and a lower concave surface, said surfaces meeting alongsaid thin' marginal edge portions; said object being unitary andcomposed of a sponge-like rubber composition having an integral,substantially imperforate and continuous fllm over the entire surface ofsaid object.

5. A unitary, washable, removable, seamless, non-absorptive, resilientand compliant shoulder pad comprising: a unitary moulded objectsubstantially triangular in plan and wedge-shaped in longitudinalsection, said object having two thin curved marginal edge portionsnormally meeting at the apex of a shoulder of a wearer, and acrescent-shaped, virtually flat base face, said object having apreformed upper convex surface and a. lower concave surface, saidsurfaces meeting along said thin marginal edge portions; said objectbeing unitary and composed of a sponge-like rubber composition having anintegral, substantially imperforate and continuous film over the entiresurface of said object.

JACK L. KLEINROCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 751,302 Kraft et a1 Feb. 2, 19042,061,435 Neidecker Nov. 17, 1936 2,068,644 Frais Jan. 26, 19372,304,699 Levy Dec. 8, 1942 2,438,072 Piccinni Mar. 16, 1948

